Collection Statistics - York Museums Trust

Further information

Kate Malone ceramics played a central part in the York Art Gallery exhibition, An English Country Garden

Collection Statistics

April - September 2010

	Transactions	Objects	Notes
Acquisitions	13	30	An electric copper kettle dating form the 1920s was acquired. It is stamped 'Property of York Corporation Electricity Dept No1009' and is representative of a change of lifestyle - the introduction of electrical power in our homes. In order to encourage the use of electricity the Corporation Electricity Department had a scheme to hire out appliances for a weekly rent which was collected either through a pre-payment meter or via a quarterly electricity account. The scheme operated from the 1930s (and possibly earlier) until it was phased out in the 1950s, and applied to cookers, wash boilers and kettles. Archaeology: Medieval silver cross fragment; Anglo-Scandinavian gold finger ring; two Iron Age staters, one of Cunobelin (AD10-40) and one inscribed VEP CORF, approximately AD20-40; a styca of Wigmund, Archbishop of York (837-854) from the moneyer Hunlaf. Art: Two mixing bowls by Isaac Button from Soil Hill Pottery, Halifax, 1961; an untitled sculpture by Maurice Jadot, 1967-69, presented through the Contemporary Art Society; 'Landscape' by Roger Fry. History: A pack of 'Faraway Tree' playing cards (Enid Blyton), 1950s; nine items including feeding bottles, teething rings, clothes and books for the activity session 'Bringing Up Baby'; a stirrup pump, 1939-1945. Science: Several new taxidermy specimens were purchased to ensure safe use in handling sessions: taxidermy - hedgehog, mole, duck, mouse; skeletons - vole, shrew, mouse; skulls - parrot, duck.
Archaeological sites	11	TBC	Accession numbers have been issued to York Archaeological Trust for work to be carried out at City Walls, Lord Mayors Walk, Chainage 2100-2240, York, Tythe Farm, Hemingbrough near Selby; Lansdowne Terrace, York; St Mary's Church, Bishophill Senior, York; Church View, East End, Sheriff Hutton and land to the rear of Festival Flats, York; Allen Archaeology Ltd for Ivy Cottage, Boltby; Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd for Holy Cross Church, Swainby and to Ed Dennison Archaeological Services for work at Bolton Percy Gatehouse, Bolton Percy, Sheriff Hutton Castle and Brayton Church, near Selby. One number was issued to CS Archaeology for Barker's Yard, Borogate, Helmsley.
Disposals	2	2	One ceramic slipware mug by Ray Finch was disposed of following damage during a handling session. The mug was donated in 2002 along with several other ceramic objects. They are all low value 'everyday' pieces and were donated specifically for the purpose of handling in the knowledge that it is possible they will be damaged. A powder flask (YORCM : CA1888) had to be disposed of as it was found to contain black powder and could not be opened to remove the contents. The Firearms & Explosives Licensing Officer advised us to check that all powder flasks had been emptied as black powder should be stored in Home Office approved containers, which we comply with under the terms of our black powder licence. It was not possible to open this flask to empty it and it therefore posed a risk of exploding in the event of a fire. The flask was removed and safely disposed of by the Firearms & Explosives Licensing Officer.
Loans In	13	160	Incoming loans have been arranged for the following exhibitions/activities: 'An English Country Garden', six ceramic pieces by Kate Malone; 'Mystery Plays', the British Library (one item), the Merchant Adventurers (two items) and York Archives (two items); a projection work 'Growing Zeros' (digital clock) by Torsten Lauschmann; 'China: Journey to the East', 121 items were borrowed from the British Museum, two from Leeds Museums and one from an individual lender; 'Knitting Sheaths', two items were borrowed from an individual lender to support this Studio Activity. Archaeology - 'Yorkshire Museum' - the British Museum loaned 14 objects including a bust of Caracalla, a Corinthian capital, figures, gems and oil lamps; the National Museums of Scotland loaned a tortoise brooch from Bedale and a stocking from Micklegate. 'Hats' - a hat and accompanying material was borrowed from Stephen Jones Millinery. Science - 'Yorkshire Museum' - Leeds Museums lent two specimens - a Thylacine skull and a Carolina parakeet.
Loans Out	12	137	Eight objects were loaned to the British Museum from the Archaeology collection to support the current exhibition 'Treasures from the Yorkshire Museum'. Two paintings have been loaned to the Bowes Museum for their exhibition 'British Sporting Art', 11th May to 10th October 2010: 'Sir Mark Sykes with the Sledmere Hunt' by an unknown artist and 'Gulliver reprimanded and silenced by his Master, when describing the horrors of War' by Sawrey Gilpin. 'The New Walk Terrace, York' by Nathan Drake has been loaned to Fairfax House along with five objects from the Costume collection for their 'Dress to Impress' exhibition, 18th June to 21st November 2010. 'Nocturne in Blue and Gold' by Walter Greaves has been loaned to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Australia for their newly opened exhibition 'Paths to Abstraction 1867-1917', 26th June to 19th September 2010. The Harley Foundation, Welbeck has borrowed an 18th century wine bottle and a Delft charger for their long exhibition 'Dinner with a Duke: Decoding Food and drink at Welbeck 1690-1910', 13th March 2010 to 18th March 2012. The Hans Coper retrospective exhibition transferred to Shiodome Museum in Tokyo and the Sashiko Textiles exhibition opened at Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery. Six works are on loan to Beverley Art Gallery form 'John Edward Champney: Philanthropist and Art Lover'. Five ceramic pieces by Bernard Leach were loaned to Penlee House Gallery & Museum in Penzance for 'Sea Change: Art in St Ives Between the Wars'. The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds has recently borrowed 20 pieces of studio pottery for 'A Rough Equivalent: Sculpture and Pottery in the Post-War Period'. 'Tall Vessel' by Elizabeth Fritsch is included in an exhibition at the National Museum Cardiff 'Dynamic Structures: Painted Vessels by Elizabeth Fritsch'. History - Three items were loaned to the Quilter's Guild in York for their exhibition 'Sewing in Wartime'.
Conservation	10	136	65 pieces of stained window glass have been sent to the University of York for conservation work. One Chinese dish was cleaned by a conservator prior to inclusion in the China exhibition. Two pieces of glass painted by William Peckett have been sent to York Glaziers Trust for preparation of condition reports. The frame for 'Nocturne in Blue and Gold' was treated by a conservator prior to despatch to Australia. The frames of nine paintings have been treated for active woodworm. Art - Works on paper have been sent for mounting; paintings have gone for conservation and framing and for frame conservation in preparation for the following exhibitions: 'Hats', 'Once Upon A Time', William Etty and the Burton Gallery refurbishment.

October 2010 - March 2011

	Transactions	Objects	Notes
Acquisitions	18	77	Archaeology - A Post Medieval clipper's hoard of shillings has been donated. A livery badge in the form of a cockerel is being acquired through the Treasure process; it was found by a metal detectorist near to the site of the Battle of Towton (1461). Art - Donations include two pancheons from the widow of Country potter Isaac Button who ran Soil Hill Pottery, West Yorkshire in the 1960s; a salt-glazed mug by Wally Keeler (1990s) acquired for handling; a work entitled 'Landscape' by Roger Fry (an influential art critic who organised Post-Impressionist exhibitions in London in 1910 and 1912). Eric and Jean Cass presented a sculpture by Maurice Jadot (1967-69) through the Contemporary Art Society; it will be displayed in Museum Gardens. A group called 'Conversation Jugs' which consists of two harvest jugs and an embroidered cloth by Alice Kettle and Alex McErlain, 2009 and a 'Portrait of Anna Wilmersdoerffer' by Alfred Wolmark, circa 1905 were acquired along with 12 pieces of Studio Pottery. History - Two cases of single records dating from the 1960s have been donated by the teenager who collected them; artists include Cliff Richard, The Beatles, Cilla Black, Freddie and the Dreamers and the Rolling Stones. Science - 32 parasitic wasps have been donated; they have good associated field collection data, allowing potential for use in research projects.
Archaeological sites	3	0	Accession numbers were issued to Northern Archaeological Associates Ltd for work carried out at Sutton Howgrave Kirklington (Hambleton District), Wilton to Ebberston Relining (Ryedale District) and Holy Cross Church Swainby (Hambleton District).
Disposals	12	27	Art - Frames were transferred to Mike Howden, frame conservator, as their condition had deteriorated and they could not be associated with any works. Mike Howden will give them free of charge to public galleries and only charge for the conservation they require. A box of scraps of glass (small off-cuts of pale green machine made glass, probably Polish) was transferred. The material was of no use for display and of no historical interest, but took up valuable storage space. The material was very dirty and might have contained small amounts of lead dust which can be a hazard. The material was unlikely to be of interest to even a specialist glass museum and was offered to York Glaziers Trust who turned it down as the pieces were too small to be of any use. Rather than throw it away, the material was offered to a glass student (Hannah Lovett) based in Manchester who would be doing a residency at the New School House Gallery in York; she specialises in recycling glass in her work.
Loans In	12	64	Art - Loans include 44 works for the 'Honest Pots' exhibition and two books to support 'Once Upon A Time'. 'The Procession to Calvary' by Pieter Brueghel the Younger is being displayed at York Art Gallery as part of a fundraising campaign to save the work for the National Trust. A number of contemporary works by John Stezaker, Jules George, Steve Dixon and Tom Price have been borrowed to complement the re-opening of the Burton Gallery. The 50 piece canvas 'Bigger Trees Near Warter Or/Ou Peinture Sur Le Motif Pour Le Nouvel Age Post-Photographique' by David Hockney, 2007 is currently on display in the Main Gallery. Archaeology - A marble bust of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus has been borrowed from the British Museum to mark the 1800th anniversary of his death in York. History - Chatsworth House has loaned a mirror advertising Terry's chocolate for display in Kirkgate.
Loans Out	13	126	Archaeology - A Viking sword was included in the exhibition 'Alcuin's Library: The Great Lost Library of Eighth-century York' at York Minster Library. Art - strong ceramic pieces by Hans Coper were displayed at the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu and Iwate Museum of Art as part of a Japanese tour; six ceramic pieces were displayed at the New School House Gallery, York in an exhibition of work by ceramicist Louisa Taylor who used our collections for her inspiration and 13 objects were loaned to Wakefield Museum for its exhibition 'Sugar & Spice' illustrating the use of sugar and spices in elite consumption and medicine in the late medieval/early post-medieval periods. 'The Volunteers' by F.D. Hardy (1860) was displayed at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in their exhibition 'The Cranbrook Colony: Fresh Perspectives'; 'Christ Stilleth the Tempest' by John Martin was loaned to the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, the first venue in a tour. History - 54 assorted items of retail packaging were loaned to Prescot Museum for their exhibition 'Are You Being Served?'; two objects were included in 'Sports Lab' an exhibition opening at Weston Park Museum, Sheffield and 16 objects were borrowed by the Captain Cook Memorial museum in Whitby for their exhibition 'Fish & Ships: A Journey Round the World at Captain Cook's Table' where they help to illustrate the stores carried by ships and the problems of preserving food and water over long voyages. Science - Natural England borrowed a punt gun for 'The Life and Times of Snowden Slights, one of Yorkshire's last great punt gunners' which marked the opening of the Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve at Wheldrake. The Middlesbrough Meteorite was displayed at the Dorman Museum in Middlesbrough to celebrate the 300th anniversary of it falling to Earth.
Conservation	5	13	Art - Works have been conserved for inclusion in the exhibitions 'Honest Pots' and the Burton Gallery re-hang. History - A street piano has been conserved so that it is in working order.